Both hot and cold compresses play an important role in treating various physical problems. In the most common and traditional method of compress therapy, the user holds a washcloth either under hot or cold running tap water, or in a basin of hot or cold water, and then applies the moist, temperature-adjusted washcloth to the body part. This method is popular because washcloths are low in cost and widely available, they are reasonably soft in texture, and their temperature can usually be determined by the user. In addition, the washcloth method allows the user to select how the external pressure is applied against the body part. The specific case of eye compresses is illustrative. Because the eyes are one of the most sensitive and delicate of bodily tissues, most users of the washcloth method will avoid putting pressure directly on the round globe of the eye (the eyeball), and will instead press the washcloth gently into other areas such as the corners of the eyes. The washcloth thereby passively conforms to the round globe of the eye in a safe and comfortable way. Additionally, a wet washcloth provides a moist thermal treatment. Therefore, the washcloth method has been viewed as being particularly useful for hot compress therapy.
However, the washcloth method has numerous disadvantages. The washcloth's temperature decays relatively quickly necessitating frequent re-heatings or re-coolings, especially if the washcloth is wrung out after immersion in water. In the case of compress therapy applied to the eyes or other specific head regions, the washcloth may drape uncomfortably over the face and, if too wet, will tend to drip down the user's arm as the user stands at the sink. Repeated use on a body part of a washcloth left in a bathroom, especially when the bathroom is shared by more than one person, may be unhygienic.
Other efforts to apply sustained thermal application as a part of compress therapy are also known. One example is a gel pack, which can be heated and applied against a user's body.
Known gel packs designed specifically for use on the eyes and periorbital regions have been manufactured with casings made of PVC or vinyl materials, which have the benefit of low production costs. However, such casing materials have various characteristics that limit their effectiveness for ocular thermal therapy.
Further, known gel packs fail to provide a convenient presence of moisture in order to produce an effective moist thermal treatment. Additionally, known gel packs fail to provide various chemical agents to the skin to support the health of the skin during repeated treatments of thermal compress therapy. Known gel packs also fail to provide an adjustable degree of compression against the gel pack that allows the user to select how the external pressure is applied against the body part as well as how much external pressure is applied to the body part.
Accordingly, a need exists for various components of a thermally and mechanically adjustable compress system which will impart comfortable and effective therapy to sensitive body parts, such as the ocular region, in a safe and convenient manner.